Degarra and Fiolić From Zadar: the Entry Into the World of Premium Winemakers

Zadar spread across the former vineyards, but Zadar's passion for wine remained

For the past 70 years, Zadar has been expanding intensively in these former fields and vineyards and new city districts have developed. Former suburban villages then became a part of Zadar. Their inhabitants were partly still engaged in agriculture, and especially in viticulture, but only for their own needs. Despite the fact that the City “chased” the vineyards “away”, the culture of wine was still alive - wine as food, passion, consolation and hedonism.

However, more serious grape growing and wine production retreated to the hinterland of Zadar, Ravni kotari. It was in this area that the revival of agro cultures, olive growing and, especially, winemaking began a little more than 20 years ago. New vineyards were planted, cellarmen and winemakers adopted new knowledge, and top wines produced from grapes from the immediate vicinity of Zadar, arrived in Zadar. That is why in Zadar itself, the cult of wine production has crept in again as a hobby activity and only for their own needs.

With such modest ambitions, the founders and owners of two Zadar boutique wineries set out into the world of wine. The quality, production and presentation of their wines made them rise above the standards of amateur winemakers from the initial modest and discreet garage production.

The story of small garage winemakers becoming sought-after and great

It is the story of two wineries - "Degarra", owned by Mate Pestić and Dane Šulentić in the Zadar area of Bokanjac, and "Fiolić" owned by brothers Mario and Dario Fiolić in Borik. Both wineries have gone through similar paths of development, marked by the fact that due to their premium quality, their wines were quickly sought after on the market, in Zadar and beyond, from the initial production in modest quantities. Their present annual production has reached tens of thousands of bottles a year. Another similarity they share is that the owners of "Degarra" and “Fiolić” have arranged charming, pleasant presentation spaces, wine shops and tasting areas where their wines can not only be bought, but tasted beforehand, while hearing the story in great detail and passion about the origin of each of their wines. 

Interestingly, the famous French grape varieties such as merlot, cabernet sauvignon and syrah thrive in the vineyards of Zadar hinterland, so the "Degarra" cuvée of these varieties, called "Bontera", is right at the top of best Croatian red wines and their most sought-after product, and which always goes well with any serious culinary pleasure. Pestić and Šulentić, together with spouse Dragana Šulentić, an oenologist, have their own vineyards, but they procure some of the produce from other winegrowers, so they decided to produce wines, sparkling wines and rosé from a Croatian variety plavina. “Degarra’s” white wine variety pošip has absolutely won the market and many competitions. It is one of the most famous Dalmatian grape varieties that is more present in the vineyards in the south of Croatia, but with "Degarra" wine, it gained a new and different value here and now in the north of Dalmatia.

"Degarra's" maraška cherry wine?!

The specialty of the "Degarra" winery is a dessert wine "Bomary" - a coupage of "Bontera" and, lo and behold, maraška cherry wines, a fruit characteristic for Zadar region from which the well-known Maraschino liqueur is produced. "Degarra" offers a total of seven wine labels ornamented with the characteristic three circles, with inscripted words: passion, desire, devotion, labour, admiration, pleasure, ecstasy. As a sign of deep respect and remembrance of his grandfather, Mate Pestić also produces maraština wine, another original and old Croatian variety.

And it is this variety in particular - maraština, that the Fiolić brothers dealt with specifically. Wines from that grape are their most important trump card among the seven wine labels they offer. Maraština is produced by the Fiolić brothers in two versions: fresh and sur lie, i.e. aged in wooden barrels, which gives this wine a completely different value. Dario Fiolić is especially proud of their maraština wine, and says that they had opted for this variety precisely because it is an old, once omnipresent variety, but also because it is very demanding in terms of winemaking: it takes a lot of skills to produce premium wine from that variety. But then, once that quality is achieved, the result is phenomenal.

Sea liqueurs by the Fiolić brothers

The Fiolić brothers also offer malvasia and rosé made from plavina and grenache, as well as two cuvees: from grenache and syrah, and merlot and cabernet.

Fiolić family offers something very special too: they produce liqueurs from maraška cherries and dried figs, for which they have received various recognitions and awards both at home and abroad. What is also interesting is that they use desalinated sea water in the production of liqueurs, which gives them a special taste and quality.

While in Zadar, we warmly recommend you to ask restaurant or apartment hosts to present you with local wines of the region. You can’t go wrong. Make the time and visit "Degarra" and "Fiolić" wineries, discover the flavours and aromas of their wines and simply – enjoy yourselves!